HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12240, 14 June 1909, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WELLINGTON, June 12. The House also met at 10.30 o'clock a.m.

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

The debate on the Address-in-Reply was continued by Mr Buick, who said it was the duty of the House to confirm the Government's offer of a Dreadnought, althought he considered it should first have been submitted to Parliament. Mr Buick contended that young men were leaving the country because they had no chance here. Mr John P. Luke, who claimed to be an independent member, said he would vote for "the amount. The Premier was putting the interests of his party before those of the country, and he (Mr Luke) strongly condemned the adjournment of-the session. The Hon. Mr Hogg denied that he and his colleagues were dumb dogs. He had not sought h s present position. Mr Hogg regretted the fact that men were out of work, but pointed out that no attempts were made to reduce wages. Mr Hogg expressed himself strongly on the subject of land monopoly, and contended that it was the large estates that were largely responsible for the present distress. Land settlement would to go on side by side with land taxation. He had always regarded land monopoly as a crime. His idea was to make capital as plentiful as possible. The House adjourned for luncheon. The House resumed at 2.30.

Mr Russell continued the debate on the address in reply. He opposed the amendment. He acknowledged the support the Government had received from the Opposition and the press in connection with the Dreadnought offer. It "was impossible for New Zealand to defend herself; she must rely on the British navy. He was not in favour of giving the Premier a carte blanche at the conference. Compulsory training was neither desirable nor necessary in the Dominion. The first essential in connection with defence was to have one impr,egnable port. In the second place we should have naval volunteers and rifle clubs, the latter to be provided with free rifles and ammunition. There should also be two ammunition factories in the Dominion.

Mr Thompson, Dunedin North, was disappointed at the amount of irrelavant matter introduced into the debated He saw no rctison for losing the time of Parliament during the Premier's absence. He suggested as a suitable title for Sir Joseph Ward, "Lord Bluff, of Awarua." (Laughter.) Mr Guthrie supported the amendment. . ;

Messrs Clark, Anderson, and Pearce opposed the amendment.

Mr McLaren said the burden of the Empire rested on the shoulders of *the toiling masses. The problem would never be solved till the social conditions were reformed, and justice done to the poorest classes. . (Hear, hear.) Touching the question of unemployment, he did hot blame the Government for the present distress. He had read'reports from various districts in the colony giving information as to-the unemployed!." He criticised the Government method of assisting immigration. ';■■, ■ -Mr Malcolm went over^the points in Mr McLaren's speech, and declared the latter was ignorant on the land question. Members of the. Opposition aid not favour land monpoly. The demand for ; leasehold by city members was actuated by a mean greed. Mr Malcolm condemned the extravagance of the Government iri connection with opening a Public Trust Office at a , time when public-servants were being dismissed by the score. ' '

During Mr Malcolm's speech Mr Massjey'said Sir Harry Atkinson had nothing to do with the position leading up to the retrenchments of-1878, and the. Hon. T. Mackenzie interjected: "Absolutely false." Mr Massey demanded withdrawal, which was made. • The House rose at 5.30. " The House met at 7.30. Mr Malcolm continued the debate. Mr Scott supported the amendment. He advocated a scheme of national defence and training ships for the youtk of the Dominion. %'. . - • Messrs Dive, Mander, and Wright also spoke in support of the amendmtn*. The last caused a great uproar by stating that* the member for Hawkers Bay was a land monopolist, which the latter member described as most unjust.. He quoted an article in' a Christchurch weekly paper from the pen of Mr G. W. Russell, member for Avon, giving good i reasons why Parliament should not be t prorogued. ; Mr Graham complimented the new members on their speeches. He described the Cabinet as the most incongruous one he had seen during the last 16 years. The Premier could only rely on two of his Ministers to lead the House during his absence. On the whole it was wise of the Premier to stipulate for the prorogation of Parliament during his absence at the Conference. ■.-•■--...■ The amendment that the words—" and that an early prorogation of Parliament take place" be deleted from the Ad-dress-in-Reply was then put. On a division the amendment was lost by 45 to2y. • The division list is as follows:— Ayes.—Arnold, Baume, Brown. Buddo, Buxton, Carroll, Clark, Colvin, Craigie, Davey, Dillon, Hon. Duncan, Ell, Forbes, Fowlds, Glover, Graham, Greenslade, Hanan, Hogan, Hogg, Jennings, Kaihau, Laurensdn, Lawry, MacDonald, R. McKenzie, T. Mackenzie, Millar, Ngata, Parata, Poland, Poole, Reed, Remington, Ross, Russell, Seddon, Sidey, Stallworthy, E. H. Taylor, Buck, Thomson, Ward, and Wilford. Noes.—Allen, Anderson, Bollard, Buchanan, Buick, Dive, J. Duncan, Fisher, Eraser, Guthrie, Hardy, Herdman, Herrze, Lang, Luke, McLaren, Malcoln, Mander, Massey, Newman, Nosworthy, Okey, Pearce, Phillips, Rhodes, Scott, G. TM. Thomson, Witty, and Wright. CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. Sir Joseph Ward moved that Mr Wiltord be appointed Chairman of Committees.

Mr Massey opposed the motion, and moved an amendment—"That the ap pointment of a Chairman of Committees bo left over till next session. He cited the precedent of 1906, when the appointment of chairman was postponed till the actual session of .Parliament on the occasion of the Premier's visit to the Imperial Conference." On, a division, being taken the amendment .was lost by 44 to 27.

The Premier moved tlie adjournment of the House, which rose at 11.10.